The bureau has also issued a flood watch for much of NSW,including for the Hunter and Greater Sydney. It said the Hawkesbury and Nepean rivers could experience minor to moderate flooding from Saturday,and the Lower Hunter River and Wollombi Brook could experience a major flood from Sunday.
Officials are worried the timing of the severe weather – during the last week of the school holidays – will catch out holidaymakers who don’t have local knowledge of the areas in which they are staying.
“What we’re going to see is significant amounts of rain,sometimes the monthly rainfall in just a couple of days,if not more,” SES assistant commissioner Sean Kearns said.
“Take heed of conditions. Be very mindful about caravan parks and camping grounds,they’re often next to rivers.”
Sydney had received 2139 millimetres of rain for the year by 5pm on Wednesday. With up to 115 millimetres forecast to hit Sydney before Monday morning,the annual rainfall record for Sydney could fall by the weekend. The wettest year on record was in 1950,when 2194 millimetres fell across the whole year.
Weatherzone meteorologist Aline Ribeiro said the major weather system was the result of a series of “really deep troughs” joining together,which is set to bring days of heavy rainfall to both Sydney and western NSW.